Is anyone among you sick? Let him call the presbyters of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is one of the Healing Sacraments. It is a Sacrament celebrated for those Christians who are undergoing a major surgery or whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age. It is no longer a Sacrament just for the dying.
“The purpose of the sacraments is make people holy, to build up the Body of Christ and finally to give worship to God.” (Liturgy #59) Anointing of Sick accomplishes this by helping us gain insight into the religious meaning of human suffering. It celebrates and reminds us of God’s compassion and helps us to experience spiritual and sometimes physical strengthening when we are ill.
The Sacrament of the Sick may be celebrated through St. Pius X Parish in three ways
- Individual visits by the priest to your home, hospital, or nursing home (contact the parish if needed)
- A special Mass of Anointing held in the spring and fall each year
- Simply ask the priest after Mass.